Remontage

Remontage is a French noun derived from remonter, meaning to wind up or to mount again. It is used in specialized contexts to denote two main practices: winding of a mechanical timepiece and editing or re-editing of audiovisual material.

In horology, remontage refers to winding a mechanical movement. Manual remontage requires turning the crown to tighten the mainspring, while automatic remontage uses a rotor to wind the spring through the wearer’s movements. The stored energy drives the gear train and powers timekeeping, and the winding interval depends on the movement design and usage.

In cinema and video production, remontage denotes the editing or re-editing of a film or sequence. It can involve reordering scenes, trimming material, or incorporating alternate takes to produce a different version, such as a director’s cut, an extended edition, or a recut for distribution. The term is used in French-language film discourse and in discussions of editing history.

Other uses are more general and can refer to reassembly or reinstallation of parts after disassembly, though this sense is less common in everyday language. Overall, remontage highlights the idea of bringing something back to a functional or renewed form, whether a timepiece or a sequence of footage.